Aston Villa: Stiliyan Petrov urges Villa to give him a semi-final fillip by beating Blues
Nov 30 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
CROCKED captain Stiliyan Petrov resumed light training this week with a challenge for Villa to keep their Carling Cup campaign rolling until his New Year comeback.
Petrov heads a crippling casualty list which will deny Gerard Houllier’s men a host of first-teamers for tomorrow’s high stakes quarter-final showdown with their bitter rivals.
The Bulgarian midfielder known as Stan, is set to start straight line running this week after progressing with the knee problem which has sidelined him since October.
And he is urging his claret and blue colleagues to see off their St Andrew’s foes to give him a chance of returning for the two-legged semi-final in January.
“Every football supporter in the city is looking forward to the Carling Cup quarter-final between Blues and Villa but I’m looking further ahead than Wednesday,” said Petrov.
“I would like nothing more than a win at St Andrew’s – and a return to action in the two-leg semi-final in January.
“It’s difficult to say exactly when I will be fit to play again but I’m making steady progress from my knee injury and with a bit of luck I should be back early in the New Year.
“I’m hoping to be able to do some running next week and then it will be a case of seeing how things progress, with the help of our excellent physios.
“If all goes well, I intend to be in contention for a recall around the time of the Carling semi-finals so I just hope the lads do the business next week and make sure we are involved.”
Petrov led Villa out on last season’s showpiece League Cup final at Wembley, only to suffer heartbreak when they lost 2-1 to Manchester United after taking an early lead.
